Washing machine agitator



March 2, 1943; S HE E 2,312,992

WASHING MACHINE AGITATOR Filed June 10,- 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l InvEn'rn'R CHARLES E. SBHEELE ATT 0mm March 2, 1943. c. c. SCHEELE 2,312,992

' WASHING MACHINE AGITATOR I Filed June 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I InvEn'r n12 CHARLES L. 501-155 An DRNEY Patented Mar. 2, I943 NT OFFICE.

- WASHING MACHINE AGITATOR Charles C. Scheele, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 10, 1941, Serial No. 397,451

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in an agitator or dolly for a washing machine.

An object of my invention is to provide an agitator, simple in design and easy to manufacture, but effective in operation.

' Another object of my invention is to provide an agitator that may be made of molded plastic in a simple mold or die.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an agitator for a washing machine that will exert an unequal thrust in opposite directions on the washing fluid and clothes being washed, when the agitator is oscillated back and forth.

Another object of my invention is to provide an agitator for a washing machine having symmetrically disposed blades so constructed that when the agitator is rotated in one direction the blades create greater turbulence in the washing fluid than when the agitator is rotated in the opposite direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide an agitator for a washing machine, said agitator being adapted for oscillation about a vertical axis and being so constructed and arranged that rotation in one direction thrusts the washing fluid and clothes outward and upward.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from reading the following specification in connection with theannexed drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan View of the agitator of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the agitator shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, parts being broken away, showing in a wooden pattern, the flat planes definin the various side surfaces of the blades and the base.

Figure 4 is a plan View of a modified agitator showing four blades instead of three.

Figure 5 is a side view or elevation of the agitator shown in Figure 4.

The agitator of my invention comprises a circular base ID, a central column I l rising vertically from the base to a height corresponding substantially to the normal height of washing fluid in the washing machine vat, and a plurality of blades I2 extending outwardly from the column I I to the periphery I3 of the base I0. In the preferred form shown in Figure 1 the central column II is triangular in cross-section and the blades I2 are three in number. Extending upwardly I from the under side of the base I into the column II is a non-circular socket II' adapted to receive the end of the agitator supporting shaft (not shown) which is oscillated by suitable mechanism (not shown).

' central column. The opposite side I of the blade I2 intersects the central column ll so that the side I4 is longer than the side I5, as seen best in Figure 1. The sides I4 and I5 are straight and parallel to, although offset from, a radius of the base. The wooden pattern of Figure 3 clearly indicates that the sides I4 and I5 of each blade are straight, that is they have no curvature in horizontal plane. The upper surface of the base I0 is formed of a plurality of planes equal .to the number of blades. Each plane. is horizontal in the direction of the short side of a blade, as indicated by the line 2| in Figure 3. Each plane,

however, slopes upwardly from the periphery I3 of the base ID as the plane extends from the outer edge of the long side of a blade to the intersection with the short side of an adjacent blade, as indicated by the line 22 on Figure 3. The blades I2 are all of substantially the same heighth and in the preferred form extend upwardly from the base approximately one-third of the total heighth of the agitator. It will be noted on examining Figure 2 that the long side I4 of the blade I2, is deeper at the outer edge of the blade, as shown at 23, than is the corresponding short side I5 of the same blade, which merges with the base plane along the line 2I. The intersection between all meeting planes is in each case rounded out with a fillet. However, the fillet along the junction line 2I is of much larger radius than the fillet along the junction line 22. In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, the same plan of construction is used for a four-bladed agitator as distinguished from the three-bladed agitator shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The same reference numerals are used on Figures 4 and 5, as the only difierence between the two agitators lies in the number of blades and the shape f the central column, which is triangular in the three-bladed agitator and square in the case of the four-bladed agitator.

Due to the fact that the paddle portion of each lining effect on this side of the blade. For example, when the agitator shown in Figure 1 is oscillated clockwise, the vortex behind the blade will cause the fluid to follow the blade. When the agitator is oscillated. in the opposite direction there is likewise a. vortex created behind the blade, but this vortex will be of lesser violence and The upward sloping of the base.

wider side than on its other side, each of the segments of said base between adjacent blades having its upper surface lying in a plane that is substantially horizontal in the direction of the shallow side of a boundary blade and sloping in the direction of the deep side of the other boundary blade, and means for mounting said agitator to oscillate about the axis of its central column.

2. A washing machine agitator comprising a substantially circular base, a plurality of symmetrical, flat blades of substantially uniform thickness extending vertically from said base,

effects the fluid flow by thrusting the fluid and clothes upward on the clockwise portion of an oscillation, thus assisting the roll-over action of the clothes and aiding in the more rapid and thorough washing of the clothes.

I claim: 7

1. A washing machine agitator comprising a substantially circular base, a plurality of symmetrical. flat blades of substantially uniformv thickness extending vertically from said base, said blades being parallel to and offset in the same direction from one of a like number of symmetrically disposed reference radii of said base, said blades intersecting adjacent the center of the agitator to form a prismatic central column the respective faces of which constitute exten- .sions of one side surfaceof each blade, whereby each of said blades is wider on one side than on theother, each of said blades being deeper on its said blades being parallel to and offset in the same direction from one of a like number of symmetrically disposed reference radii of said base, said blades intersecting adjacent the center of the agitator to form a prismatic central column the respective faces of which constitute extensions of one side surface of each blade, whereby each of said blades is wider on one side than on the other, each of said blades being deeper onits wider side than on its other side, each of the segments of said base between adjacent blades having its uppersurface lying in a plane that is substantially horizontal in the direction of the shallow side of a boundary blade and sloping in the direction of the deep side of the other boundary blade, each of said blades extending vertically approximately one-third of the total height of said agitator and extending outward substantially to the periphery of said base, the upper edges of said blades sloping downward toward said central column, and means for mounting said agitator to oscillate about the axis of its central column CHARLES .C. SCHEELE. 

